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Choctawhatchee locks up playoff berth in emphatic fashion
PANAMA CITY — Choctawhatchee wasn’t taking any chances with playoff scenarios, what ifs and possible shootouts.
The Indians marched into Tommy Oliver Stadium Friday night needing a win to clinch a playoff berth in their District 1-3A showdown with Bay. They did so with a convincing 35-0 win that ended all speculation about the postseason.
Choctaw (5-3, 5-1) and Pensacola are in. Everyone else, including Bay, will be staying home.
The Indians ended the suspense early on the Tornadoes’ Homecoming. They drove 80, 80 and 66 yards to touchdowns the first three times they touched the football, and Bay never had a chance.
Quarterback Jesse Adams orchestrated a flawless Choctaw attack. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 204 yards, two of them to running backs Freddie Gray and Marcus Rosenthal for second-half touchdowns.
Adams also ran for a 3-yard touchdown, all in less than three quarters as Luke Clark replaced him once running time was instituted.
The Indians also had enough of a running game to keep Bay on its heels. Charlie Lott led with 87 yards on 23 carries, including a 4-yard TD run, and Gray rushed for 67 yards on six attempts. Gray’s 35-yard sprint opened the scoring just two minutes into the game.
Choctaw coach Greg Thomas felt his offense set the tone.
“I think so, we executed very well,” Thomas said. “We’d been turning the ball over, but we took care of the football tonight.
“This is what we were hoping for. We knew they had a good football team and that we would have to play well.”
Choctaw piled up 277 yards by halftime and finished with 365. With the Indians controlling the ball for long stretches, Bay wasn’t able to find any rhythm on offense.
The Tornadoes reached the Indians’ 13 midway through the second quarter. They already trailed 21-0 by that time, however, and knew that field goals wouldn’t be the answer.
A fourth-down pass was batted away ending Bay’s deepest penetration.
The Tornadoes netted 132 yards, most of them on two plays featuring fullback Tracy Craft. He snared a pass over the middle for a 39-yard gain on Bay’s deepest threat.
In the second half, he got loose for a 35-yard run. Craft had 63 yards on 11 carries.
